Hydrogen Economy Now 11

Microbes to our rescue

Plan A

Edward Chesky

Major (Retd) US Army, USA

Mohideen Ibramsha

1968 Alumni of Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, TN, India

1974 intellectual son of PhD guide Prof. V.Rajaraman & Mrs. Dharma Rajaramn, CS, EE, IIT, Kanpur, UP, India

1991 First HOD of CSE, CEC [now BSAU] Chennai, TN, India

Associate Professor (Retd), Computer Science, Framingham, MA, USA

Consultant R&D, M A M College of Engineering, Trichy, TN, India

Advisor, HyDIGIT Pte Ltd, Singapore

Email: ibramsha7@yahoo.com

Introduction: There are plans to usher in the Hydrogen Economy in 2050. Until then it is proposed to improve the energy efficiency through Carbon Credits. Such a slow progress would permit catastrophic weather events to continue.

There are microbes that consume CO and produce CH3COOH, CH4 and possibly Hydrogen as well. The same microbes consume CH3COOH and produce CH4 and possibly Hydrogen. Their production of Hydrogen would be considered in detail in the next article.

There are other microbes that consume CO2 and H2 and produce CH4. The company Electrochaea which has implemented the bioreactor claims that the microbes follow the reaction CO2 + 4H2 → CH4 + 2H2O. We have argued that the microbes might actually be following CO2 + 2H2 → CH4 + O2 citing experiments performed using chemostats in https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/09/10/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-10 . We suspect that commercialization of CO2 + 2H2 → CH4 + O2 was not even attempted because the energy of the LHS being 480 MJ is less than the energy of the RHS of 800 MJ violates the Second Law(?) of Thermodynamics. We have cited an US patent application that claims to input just two volumes of Hydrogen for every volume of CO2 to produce CH4. We expect that finding the benefits of commercializing CO2 + 2H2 → CH4 + O2 would encourage researchers and investors to join hands and develop the needed technologies. In this article we consider the benefits of implementing CO2 + 2H2 → CH4 + O2 and call it ‘Plan A’ to indicate that this is the preferred route.

We hope to consider the commercialization of CO and CH3COOH consuming microbes in the next article and call it ‘Plan B.’ This is because the physical resources like land required for Plan A are substantially less compared to those of Plan B. Further it is possible to make the factories following Plan A to be capable of withstanding earthquake, hurricane, tornado, external fire, and flash floods. These protections would be indicated in this article.

The rest of the article assumes that the technology to implement CO2 + 2H2 → CH4 + O2 is available.

Hydrogen from H2O in SMR: It is possible to generate Hydrogen from Steam Methane Reformation (SMR). SMR needs ‘heat of reaction’ to be supplied. In https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/09/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-7

we found that we could generate 0.3876 Kg of Hydrogen for every Kg of CH4 when the ‘heat of reaction’ is supplied by CH4. When the ‘heat of reaction’ is supplied by Hydrogen, we could generate 0.3865 Kg of Hydrogen for every Kg of CH4 as in https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/08/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-6 . From CH4 we get 4 Kg of Hydrogen for every 16 Kg of Methane. Thus only 0.25 Kg of Hydrogen is recovered from every Kg of CH4, the remaining 0.25 Kg of H2 is from the H2O supplied as steam. After supplying the energy for the ‘heat of reaction’ we get 0.3865 Kg of H2 when the ‘heat of reaction’ is supplied by Hydrogen.

CH4 or Hydrogen for ‘Heat of reaction’: Which is preferable as the amount of Hydrogen for every Kg of CH4 is about the same: supplying the ‘heat of reaction’ by CH4 or by Hydrogen? We consume 1.29 Kg of CH4 to generate 0.3876 Kg of Hydrogen for every Kg of CH4 when the ‘heat of reaction’ is supplied by CH4, whereas we consume just one Kg of CH4 when the ‘heat of reaction’ is supplied by Hydrogen. We would deplete the supply of CH4 faster to generate approximately the same amount of Hydrogen when we supply the ‘heat of reaction’ by burning CH4. To avoid this faster depletion, we recommend supplying the ‘heat of reaction’ by burning Hydrogen.

Future generation of CH4: Given 0.25 Kg of Hydrogen for every Kg of CH4 required, the biocatalyst using CO2 + 2H2 → CH4 + O2 generates the CH4 through an exothermic reaction. In https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/09/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-8

we found that the P2G business attempted by Electrochaea is not viable.

We believe the Oxygen molecules released by the microbe in the 10 meter tall bioreactor of Electrochaea combine with the available excess Hydrogen producing H2O which does not happen in the experiments described in http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.848.5160&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Quoting from the above PDF, we have:

Inside the glove box, 2.5-ml portions of resuspended cells … were pipetted into a series of 55-ml serum bottles that were subsequently closed with black butyl rubber stoppers and aluminum crimp seals. Reaction mixtures in duplicate were pressured to 250 kPa with a gas mixture that contained 20% CO2, various concentrations of hydrogen (80, 40, 20, 10, or 5%, [vol/vol]), and additional nitrogen gas. After the gassing step, the serum flasks were placed in a water bath at 60°C. As soon as methane production started, the flasks were transferred to a shake incubator (250 rpm) at 60°C, and the (linear) rates of methane formation were monitored for approximately 1 h.

Let us note that the chemostat reactions were conducted using 2.5 ml solution with the microbe in a 55 ml serum bottle. The Methane formed was analyzed from the gas in the headspace of the serum bottles. Quoting from the PDF, we have:

Preliminary experiments showed that under the experimental conditions the rates of methane formation were not limited by hydrogen mass transfer. Methane was determined with ethane as an internal standard; 100-ml amounts of the headspace were analyzed on a Pye Unicam GCD-chromograph equipped with a Porapack Q 100-200 mesh column.

From https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/analytical-chromatography/vials/serum-bottles.html we find the outer diameter of a 50 ml bottle to be 43 mm. The height is given as 73 mm. We assume that the glass is 1.5 mm thick and estimate the inner diameter to be 40 mm. A cylinder with volume of 2.5 ml and diameter of 40 mm has a height of 1.9894 mm. The height of a cylinder with the same diameter but volume of 55 ml would be 43.7676 mm. The experiment that found Hydrogen bound growth of Methane up to 40% of Hydrogen for 20% of CO2 had 41.7782 mm of gas above 1.9894 mm of liquid.

The microbe would accept one CO2 molecule and two H2 molecules. Under H2 controlled reactions when 5, 10, 20, and 40 percent H2 molecules were supplied, there are two receptors: the microbe that has acquired one CO2 molecule and yet to acquire one or two H2 molecules and the O2 released by the microbe along with the produced CH4. We assume that in the competition between the microbe and the O2 molecule, the microbe would succeed in capturing the H2 molecule. Thus during H2 insufficiency the O2 would leave the solution and enter the headspace as gas.

During the experiment when 80% H2 and 20% CO2 are supplied, even after the CO2 acquired microbe has picked up two more H2 molecules, there remain further rwo H2 molecules. These remaining H2 molecules are picked up by the released O2 and H2O molecules are formed.

CO2 + 4H2 → CH4 + O2 + 2H2 → CH4 + 2H2O

In the 10 meter bioreactor of Electrochaea as CO2 and H2 bubble up from the bottom, the O2 released by the microbes at the bottom could capture the H2 for the microbes above and form water. As we move from the bottom to the top of the bioreactor the ratio of CO2 to H2 continues to decrease until it reaches CO2 + 2H2 at the top of the bioreactor. If less Hydrogen is released at the bottom corresponding to CO2 + 2H2 we expect that at the mid point of the bioreactor all the supplied H2 would be consumed. Half of this consumed H2 would have contributed to the formation of CH4 while the other half would have become H2O.

We propose that keeping the solution to be 2 mm or less in height would produce the environment inside the serum bottles and we would successfully implement CO2 + 2H2 → CH4 + O2. We do not consider the design of such a bioreactor now.

We assume the availability of a bioreactor that performs CO2 + 2H2 → CH4 + O2 with Company-X. Company-X could be Electrochaea if it succeeds in redesigning its bioreactor or it could be any other company following the patent application discussed in https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/09/10/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-10

Regeneration of CH4: Why not just use the bioreactor of Company-X to regenerate the CH4 consumed in the SMR? From the SMR we get the CO2 required to generate the CH4 without any charge.

From the 0.3865 Kg of Hydrogen produced by the SMR we use 0.25 Kg and produce 0.1365 Kg of Hydrogen for every Kg of CH4 used in SMR for other uses.

By combining bio-catalysis and SMR we generate 0.1365 Kg of Hydrogen for every Kg of CH4 involved. All that we consume is the water from which SMR extracts the Hydrogen.

Onsite generation of Hydrogen: In a Hydrogen Economy all processes except transportation could be sustained by onsite production of Hydrogen. Determine the amount of CH4 to be circulated to generate the Hydrogen at the rate of 1 Kg of CH4 for every 0.1365 Kg of Hydrogen required. Build the required Company-X bioreactor to produce the required amount of CH4.

For the first time purchase the required CH4 from outside. Use this bought CH4 in SMR to generate the required CO2 and Hydrogen to produce the CH4 by the bio-catalyst. Now continue to use the produced CH4 as often as desired producing the required Hydrogen.

Hydrogen for transport: Use the StorageBOX of Hydrogenious Technologies to hydrogenate the LOHC. This hydrogenated LOHC replaces gasoline. At the stations to load the Hydrogen at 700 bar for the vehicles, use the ReleaseBOX of Hydrogenious Technologies. The generators of Hydrogen to load the LOHC could be located anywhere and the hydrogenated LOHC could be pumped through pipelines or trucked. In view of the vulnerability of the pipelines and the roads to natural and man made events, we recommend producing the Hydrogen also onsite for the automobile filling stations.

Work out the required Hydrogen supply for the filling station. From this amount, find the amount of CH4 to be circulated in the combined SMR and biocatalysis process. Buy the required CH4 from outside just for the first time. Generate the desired amount of Hydrogen. Use the StorageBOX to hydrogenate the LOHC and store the hydrogenated LOHC in the underground storage tanks as gasoline is held in the refueling stations now. We have made the refueling stations to be self sufficient in Hydrogen to supply to the automobiles.

Electricity generation: As explained in https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/07/25/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-1

the CAM ALLAM Power Plant is built to supply every locality. There is no need for the weather insecure transmission lines. At best we need local distribution networks only. Slowly even the existing overhead distribution networks could be replaced by buried cables so that the electricity is not subject to the vagaries of weather. Instead of using all the steam in the turbine output and producing excess Hydrogen, part of the condensed water from the turbine output could be discarded if it is not desired to have excess generation of Hydrogen. In case excess Hydrogen gets generated, we could use the storageBOX of Hydrogenious Technologies and utilize the excess Hydrogen.

Achieving weather security: Plan the layout of the ‘Process Plant and Hydrogen Generator’ inside the smallest circle possible. We assume that the height of the planned layout is less than the radius of the circle. If not make the circle large enough to contain the whole plant inside a hemisphere built on the circle.

Use the design of the ‘Geodesic Dome’ invented by Architect Buckminster Fuller to cover the whole plant. Details for building the ‘Geodesic Dome’ could be got from the Buckminster Fuller Institute at https://www.bfi.org/about-fuller/big-ideas/geodesic-domes

or from architects who could design the required ‘Geodesic Dome.’ The geodesic dome protects from hurricanes and tornadoes. To protect from anticipated worst case flash floods, build a levee of appropriate height around the geodesic dome. Build the structures inside to be earthquake proof. A structure made of triangular frames is earthquake proof. There could be other designs. Use internal sprinklers to protect from fire accidents inside the plant. Use external sprinklers to protect the levee and the dome. Such a design is feasible as we need just water alone as recurring input.

Conclusion: CAM ALLAM, Company-X, and Hydrogenious Technologies in combination provide all the Hydrogen required for the Hydrogen Economy. Hydrogenious Technologies is already established. We believe Electrochaea could become Company-X. For CAM ALLAM we need to look at the modification of the CH4 Combustor, which could be considered at the end.

Previous posts in this series:

https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/07/25/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-1
https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/02/Hydrogen-Economy-2
https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/06/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-3
https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/07/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-4
https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/07/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-5
https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/08/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-6
https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/09/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-7
https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/09/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-8
https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/08/24/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-9
https://mohideenibramsha7.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2018/09/10/Hydrogen-Economy-Now-10